Not far from the eastern border of Winterseed, a group of men could be seen approaching the village on horseback and in horse-drawn carriages.
There were eleven horses in total—five ridden individually, while the other six pulled along three carriages, each drawn by two horses.
The five men at the front held flaming torches that lit the path ahead. Each was armed with a sword; they seemed to be guarding those in the carriages.
"Are we there yet?" one of the men lounging in the rearmost carriage asked lazily, his voice tinged with impatience.
"Almost there," one of the riders called back over his shoulder.
Meanwhile, within Winterseed, Rowan and Blaze were sprinting toward the border, their expressions serious and alert.
'Who could these people be? Why are they approaching the village?' These urgent questions echoed in Rowan's mind.
The last time men arrived at their village on horseback, it was to start a war.
